Vincentian Family at the UN

Elizabeth Seton Federation and Congregation of the Mission NGO’s at UN are among signers of statement “PRESENT  POLICIES PERPETUATE POVERTY ”
“Our own experiences and our sharing the lives of those who live in poverty lead us to the conclusion that the existing economic framework cannot eradicate poverty.

Macro-economic policies currently over-depend on singular market criteria while they diminish the role of government and self-determination of local communities. There is far too little participation or decision-making by those adversely affected by policies. Current practice and attitudes tend to regard social policy as a “safety-net” rather than as an essential element of development planning. Human rights dictate that social policy must be the heart of and integrated into the center of economic policy and planning. 

Specifically and immediately we call for

– Industrial nations to reach the UN target of 0.7 % of GNP for ODA contributions, which is  crucial for countries with insufficient infrastructure to compete economically;

            – Full debt cancellation, following the expanded policies of the Jubilee2000 call for justice;

– Establishment of an international debt review board of arbitration;

– Designation of follow-up mechanisms to ensure implementation of conference proceedings.

We ask that FfD be an ongoing process that recognizes and fulfills its moral human rights obligations to our suffering citizens around the world.

We appeal to a renewal of the urgency of Secretary General Kofi Annan when he defined your task as that defined by the UN Millennium Summit, that is, the task “of rescuing more that one billion men, women and children from abject and dehumanizing poverty.”

For the full txt see http://www.vivatinternational.org/presentpoliciesperpetuatepoverty0ct2001.htm